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Highlands Today

BREAKING NEWS: Suspect Nabbed After Woman Robbed At ATM

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By Joe  Seelig | Highlands Today

Published: September 27, 2007

SEBRING — Taking money out of an automated teller machine (ATM) is a convenience many people take advantage of these days, but as a 62-year-old Sebring woman learned Wednesday evening, staying alert is important.

It was about 6:35 p.m. Wednesday when the victim went to the ATM at the Bank of America branch at 231 S. Ridgewood Drive, in Sebring, and removed $200 through the machine.

As she turned around holding her money, she noticed a man walking up the steps of the bank toward her, the victim told police investigators.

The man tried to snatch the money from her hands, but she held onto the money tightly and the man wasn't able to take it. He ran away toward South Franklin Street, the report stated.

According to Officer Ryan Magnuson of the Sebring police, David Glen Jennings, 20, of 3430 King Drive, Sebring, is the suspect taken into custody shortly after.

Magnuson was dispatched at about 6:39 p.m. regarding the attempted robbery. Dispatch told him the victim was following the suspect and was near the downtown Sebring Circle. He reportedly saw her following him and ran back toward the bank.

The victim told the dispatcher the man who tried to rob her was hiding in some bushes.
Magnuson reported. "As I approached the suspect, later identified as David Jennings, he observed me and immediately ran between the Heacock Insurance building and another office building."

Police officers Paul Deshazo and Tim Ritenour caught Jennings running through the outside hallway and contacted the victim.

According to Ritenour, Jennings told him, "I didn't rob anybody."
Jennings was charged with robbery by sudden snatching without a firearm or weapon, a third-degree felony.

Sebring Police Cmdr. Steve Carr said Thursday that detectives were in the process of following up on the case by obtaining the ATM video from the bank. Carr said successful or not the Florida Statute still calls it robbery.

"It was an unsuccessful robbery, but none the less, she was robbed and it still carries the same punishment (if convicted)," Carr said.

Carr advises people to always be aware of their surroundings when using an ATM.
"Use the ones in well lit and populated areas," he said.

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